A woman last night told of her struggle as she defended herself and her property against a Balaclava-clad intruder.

The 57-year-old repelled the burglar by activating a panic alarm after a tussle in which she grappled with his coat and hood, trying to unmask his identity as he pushed her to the ground.

She was one of two women who fought back against intruders in the early hours of yesterday morning. In both incidents, they were alerted to the burglars' presence by their pet dogs.

The 57-year-old woman, who does not wish to be named, was confronted by a man after she opened the door of her home in Tankfield Lane, Paget.

She told The Royal Gazette: "I heard a couple of noises while I was in my bedroom trying to sleep, between 10.30 p.m. and midnight. They were kind of like a scraping sound."

Her Jack Russell, Crocket, then signalled he wanted to go outside. She let him out and waited for him on her porch.

"He immediately went to the corner of the house where my bedroom is and started barking ferociously. The man was obviously out there trying to open the window screens," she said.

"This morning when I went outside, I found he had pulled up both bathroom window screens."

She said her dog refused to come back inside the house. "It was like he was waiting to go after somebody," she said. "I started getting nervous and told him to come back but he just kept Last night she said: "I was a little frightened tonight when the darkness came, but my house is alarmed and secure. I am relieved nothing worse happened and I now intend to also carry a personal alarm."

Police have described the burglar as dark-skinned, 5ft 8in tall and of slim build. He wore sneakers and dark-coloured trousers. Anyone with any information should contact the Hamilton Criminal Investigation Unit at 295 0011.

In the second incident yesterday, Police received a report of a burglary in Jennings Bay Road, Southampton, at 12.45 a.m. A 53-year-old woman was woken up by her dog barking, to find an intruder in her bedroom.

A Bermuda Police Service spokesman said: "The woman confronted and briefly struggled with the intruder, who was able to make good his escape empty-handed."

The man is described as of small build and wore dark clothing. Anyone with information should contact the Somerset Criminal Investigation Unit at 234 1010.

A Police spokesman said the two incidents are being treated as separate incidents.